Start Again
by tap-is-life
Summary: The life he left behind is broken beyond repair. He tries to make amends upon his return, but the person he comes back for doesn't even remember he exists.
1. Chapter 1

**And I remember everything,**

**Everything I loved,**

**I gave it away like it wasn't enough**

He looked down at her, eyes wide and panicked. He never meant to hurt her. She was never supposed to be involved in any of this; yet there she was on the cold hard ground.

He reached for her, but didn't dare touch her. Crimson liquid flowed from her head. Her skin looked paler and paler as seconds went by. He mentally kicked himself repeatedly for not sensing her sooner. Maybe if he was paying more attention…

"Sasuke!" a voice shouted, bringing him back to reality. He wasn't alone with the girl in front of him. The cause of this whole ordeal was shouting in his face. "This is your fault! Mari just wanted us to stop fighting!"

"I didn't see her!" Sasuke shouted right back at the blond boy. "And I'm not the only one to blame. Why didn't you sense her? Why didn't you stop her from coming here?!"

Blaming someone else seemed like the best option. This couldn't be _all_ his fault. The blame couldn't lie solely on him. If Naruto hadn't followed him Mari wouldn't have come with him. If Naruto had continued their previous fight he wouldn't have been confronted by the Sound so quickly. If Naruto hadn't been getting stronger by the day, _none_ of this would've happened.

"You're the one that hit her! Maybe if you hadn't left our home she wouldn't be injured right now!" was what Naruto kept saying. Sasuke didn't listen; he stared at Mari the whole time thinking she would open her eyes at any moment. She didn't.

"Just come home, Sasuke. Come back and we can forget all of this happened," Naruto started reasoning, but it fell on deaf ears. "I won't even say she got hurt from our fight, as long as you come back with me."

"No," came the simple reply. "I can't go back. Not now. Now that she's…"

He couldn't bare finish that sentence. He checked her pulse, and his hand froze from the lack of heartbeat he felt. Her skin was cold, blood no longer circulating through her body. Her cheeks were no longer rosy.

"Now that she's gone," he continued, choking back the tears he desperately wanted to shed, "I have nothing to go back to. You can't stop me."

Before Naruto could respond, Sasuke disappeared. He wanted to shout his name in frustration, beat him senseless until he came back, but all his efforts were to no avail. Sasuke was gone. Sighing with a broken heart, he finally kneeled down to Mari and checked her pulse. What Sasuke said caused his heart to skip a beat. Mari couldn't be gone, she just couldn't be. When he tried to find her pulse, however, he failed.

Finding a new goal, he scooped the girl into his arms and ran back the village in light speed. She had to make it. He already lost one friend; he _refused_ to lose this one.


	2. Chapter 2

**All the words I said and all you forgive**

**How could I hurt you again?**

He knew it was time to come back. He had been gone for far too long and accomplished all that he needed to do. His brother was dead, and although regret had filled him to the very core he knew that he had to keep living his life just as Itachi wanted. There was still a threat out there, but he wouldn't spend the rest of his time trying to destroy the threat. He realized now that he wouldn't be able to do it alone anyway, and as much as he hated it, he was only returning to the Leaf Village for one reason.

The one that beat the sense into him was walking by his side, grinning like the idiot he always was. Naruto always had a way of getting to people, even if they were the most evil people on the planet. Everyone use to doubt him, but now everyone respects and praises him not only because of his faithfulness to friends, but his loyalty to the village. Sasuke still couldn't believe he was the village's hero after the attack from Pein. Actually, Sasuke was surprised that Naruto was getting such high respect after only three years, and two of those years he was away training.

Naruto glanced at his rival next to him, still in disbelief he finally managed to bring him home. He finally got to him after all, even though he seemed like a lost cause. Naruto didn't know how the village would feel about him returning, but they would figure that out once they got there. However, there was one person that Naruto wanted so badly to keep from Sasuke, but he knew Sasuke would ask eventually and he was not looking forward to it.

Not wanting to waste any more time, Naruto and Sasuke disappeared and reappeared into the Hokage's office. Tsunade looked up and glared at the Uchiha, not giving him any sympathy even though he willingly returned.

"I won't make this easy for you Sasuke," she began. "You were a missing ninja that joined one of the most dangerous men in the ninja world. You've done terrible things, and you expect me to just let you back in?"

"I accept any punishment you give me Lady Hokage," Sasuke said with confidence. "I know everything I've done is unforgiveable, which is why I know I need to be punished. My brother is dead, which is the punishment I will have to deal with for the rest of my life. Anything you do to me will not be worse than that."

She narrowed her eyes at his response. She knew he must've been tormented after killing the only other survivor of the clan, especially since it led him to come back to the village with Naruto. She wondered if he discovered the truth about the massacre, but she pushed that to the back of her mind and focused on the problem at hand.

"What are your motives for coming back?" she finally said.

He sighed, swallowing his pride for once. "I know there are more things that I feel I should take care of, but I decided to come back to the village instead because I know I wouldn't be able to follow through with these tasks alone. There will be a war coming soon, and I was supposed to be used as a pawn in it but I refuse. I came back to warn all of you and help in any way I can. And also," he paused for a moment, debating if he should mention the next reason. "I came back for someone."

Tsunade wanted to smirk, but she held that in and glanced at Naruto. He had a nervous look in his eyes, so she figured he hasn't told Sasuke what's actually going on with the person he came back for.

"All right. You aren't allowed to leave the village until I tell you so, which means no missions. You will tell us everything you know about this war that you speak of. You are not trusted, so every time you leave your house you will have an escort with you."

She stood up, doing hand signs in the process. When she was right in front of Sasuke, she tapped his forehead and he suddenly felt dizzy.

"I disabled your chakra. Until you prove yourself, you won't be able to use it at all. You're free to go."

He wanted to glare, to yell, but he swallowed the profanities that came to mind and left the room with Naruto. Once out of Hokage Tower, he sighed. He couldn't believe his chakra had been locked, but he did say that he would accept any punishment she threw at him. Next time he should just keep his mouth shut.

"Think of it this way," Naruto said grinning. "You were supposed to be executed but she saved your sorry ass from dying."

"In all honesty I expected that," Sasuke said sadly. "I would've been with my family again."

Naruto froze, not expecting Sasuke of all people to talk like that. Sasuke was an ass, proud, determined, so never in his life would Naruto think that Sasuke would accept death as simply as that.

"Anyway," Sasuke started again. "Where's Mari? I thought she would've been with you bringing me back."

"Well…uh…"

"Naruto!"

Naruto inwardly cringed hearing her voice. Of course he was happy to see her, but he wasn't ready for Sasuke to see her like this.

Mari came cartwheeling up to Naruto, giggling the whole time. Once she landed in front of him she nearly tackled him into a hug. Sasuke stared at her in shock. She was so much older now, much more mature. She let Naruto go and laughed at his embarrassed looking face. Her golden eyes were still as beautiful as Sasuke remembered. She shook her head as Naruto patted it in child-like affection, her long green hair tied up in a braided pony tail.

"Naruto," she finally said, noticing Sasuke. "Aren't you gonna introduce me to your friend?"

Sasuke's eyebrows furrowed. "What are you-"

"Oh right! Mari this is Sasuke, remember the one we've all been trying to bring back? Sasuke, this is Mari." Naruto stared at Sasuke, eyes pleading for him to just go along with it.

Sasuke nodded. "Nice to meet you."

"Nice to finally meet you! Well I gotta go now. I'll see you guys later," she said back flipping away from them. Sasuke stared after her in wonder and confusion. Why was she acting that way?

"I wish you didn't have to find out like this," Naruto spoke up. "I was trying to figure out a way to tell you."

"What the hell are you talking about? Why doesn't Mari remember me?"

"Don't take it personally. She doesn't remember any of us."

"Naruto," Sasuke said practically growling. "What happened to her?"

"The fight, Sasuke!" Naruto yelled in anger. "That stupid fight we had before you left! When she was hit and you didn't stay, I took her back to the village so she wouldn't die. When she woke up, she had no memory. None. The only reason we're even friends is because we all stayed with her even though she considered us total strangers. She has no idea who you are Sasuke."

Sasuke didn't know how to respond. He just stared at the blonde's face, looking for some trace of a lie. Deep down, he knew Naruto would never lie to him, but he wished that for once, just this one time, that he was.

Too bad he was wrong.


	3. Chapter 3

**What if I let you in?**

**What if I make it right?**

**What if I give it up?**

**What if I want to try?**

"Naruto, what's up with that Sasuke guy?"

Naruto flinched, but it was luckily unnoticed by the green haired girl. "What do you mean Mari?"

"I mean," she said bending backwards into a bridge. "Why does he look so sad every time he sees me? Did we know each other back then?"

"Yeah you did. Don't worry too much about him. He always looks moody."

"I guess you're right," she said giggling. "But how did we know each other? He doesn't seem like the type to have many friends, especially me. I think I'm too bubbly for him."

Naruto wanted to tell her everything. He wanted to explain how she didn't always use to be so bubbly and perky. How she was a badass ninja who bonded with Sasuke because of their love hate relationship. How they had both fallen for each other within the year.

"Despite how it seems," Naruto started lying through his teeth. "Sasuke and I are best friends, and when we would hang out you would tag along. We actually had fun most of the time."

She smiled. "I see now! That makes a lot of sense. I can't believe you're best friends though. You're like complete opposites."

"We get along more than you know."

"If you say so. Anyway I should go now. Enjoy the rest of your day!"

Naruto wish he didn't have to lie to her, but revealing the truth wouldn't make much of a difference. Mari still hasn't recovered any of her former memories in the years he's stayed by her, so he doubted any information on Sasuke would suddenly cause her to revert back to her former self.

"I don't know what to do Sasuke," Naruto said as his best friend and rival walked up to join him in the grassy field.

"She's so different now. I don't think I've ever seen her smile so much."

Naruto shook his head. "It's like losing her memory made her lose her former self. She woke up with almost a totally different personality."

"It's not necessarily a bad thing," Sasuke replied. "But she doesn't remember any of us and all the good times we had."

"Why would you care?"

Sasuke glared at his response. "Don't act like you don't know about my feelings for her. And I'm going to make sure to be active in her life this time no matter what. She can forget everything I put her through when I was an angry avenger. I can start over with her."

"How can you start over," Naruto said staring Sasuke in the eye. "When she's not the person you even started with?"


	4. Chapter 4

**What if you take a chance?**

**What if I learn to love?**

**What if, what if we start again?**

"What am I supposed to do idiot," Sasuke growled in frustration. He was tired of Naruto chastising him about Mari. All he wanted was for Mari to try to get to know him, but that was nowhere near happening.

"I don't know but you have to stop expecting her to just come up and talk to you like she used to. Remember, she only did that because you two were constantly in competition with each other. She has no reason to see you like that now!"

"Why not? Why can't she just be the same as she used to be? Why is she even more complicated now?!"

"Because she wants nothing to do with her old life anymore!" Naruto shouted back in his face.

_Two figures panted heavily, trying to catch their breath from their last blows to each other. Sasuke had a cut on his lips and a bruise on his cheek while Mari had a cut on her cheek and bloody knuckles. They were evenly matched once again, but both of them were too proud to admit it and call it a day._

"_Is that all you got, Uchiha?" Mari said smirking_

"_Hn, I should be asking you the same thing. You hit like a 5-year-old," he replied, when in reality he knew the punch to the cheek hurt more than he anticipated._

"_Yet you complain like a little bitch."_

_He twitched, and ran to kick her in the side when she disappeared and hit him in the side of the neck. He wasn't knocked unconscious, but he fell to the ground immediately and didn't get back up. She laughed, walking over to him and kneeling down to his level._

"_Are you ready to admit I am the best at fighting?"_

_He glared. "You just got lucky."_

"_You're such a baby."_

"_You're such a nuisance."_

"_You like this nuisance."_

"_I hate this nuisance."_

_Mari's response was her crashing her lips onto his. Before he could even comprehend what had happened, she was gone._

"She's not as outgoing as before, Sasuke," Naruto continued. "She's shy but friendly. She's hyper but reserved. She doesn't even want to be a ninja."

Sasuke stiffened. "But she made that her whole life…"

Naruto shook his head, remembering his first reaction when he discovered the same. "She is completely against it. And if she's against that, something that was part of her being, what makes you think she'll try to remember you and whatever you two had before you left?"

"But what if I want her to remember?"

"What if its better she doesn't?"

Sasuke's gaze hardened. "Then I won't make her remember, but I know that I'm ready to pursue a proper relationship with her. Even if she doesn't remember me and even if she's changed, I know I still feel the same for her. I may like this new her even more."

Naruto was silent a moment, thinking over his best friend's words, then finally replied. "That's great and all, but I will tell you now. This will be more difficult than when you first had her attention years ago. You're not only under constant watch with Tsunade, but you're also not the only one with an interest in Mari now."

"Who else is there?" Sasuke practically spat.

"That doesn't matter, because this won't be a competition. Just know that Mari has a fleeting interest in people. She may think about you now, but she can become bored with you within a week."

Naruto didn't notice, but his words made Sasuke even more determined to get to Mari.


End file.
